


Neutralize

by drvology



Category: Batman (Unspecified canon), Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-11
Updated: 2011-04-11
Packaged: 2017-10-17 20:36:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/180945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drvology/pseuds/drvology
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick is faced with a terrible foe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neutralize

**Author's Note:**

> B:TAS is my favorite Batverse incarnation; it's become my default setting when imagining the characters &c. That established, I think the fic I write can be aptly labeled 'canon & time nonspecific.'  
> → Written in an hour for 60_minute_fics challenge group @ LJ || 050407 Prompt #1 _Spiders, bugs, and creepy-crawlies Bugs! You don't have to limit yourself to spiders, basically all the little crawling beasties are fine._

Okay. Deep breaths. Do not freak out. You can _so_ handle this. You laugh in the face of danger and evil every single day. You, my friend, conquer psychos and criminals and hold back the rising tide that threatens to drown this city in chaos.

Basically, you're awesome.

So here's the thing.

Just deal with it. No problem. Same as everything else.

Gauge the threat. Decide a course of action. Neutralize.

In just another minute. Or two.

Not that he's afraid of this kind of thing. Heck, he's not afraid of _anything_. Well that's not true either, but those fears are all twisty and deep-seated and issues not even Freud and Fromm working in tandem could pry loose, so they do not apply in this instance.

Although- No. Best to focus on this. More deep breathing and steadying of nerves, take care of it, get it over with and move on.

"Dick?"

You start, take a small backward leap. Oh - heh. Bruce said that.

"Oh, hey." Play it cool, no problems.

"I thought you were going to shower?"

You shrug. "Yeah, getting there. Figured I'd wait for you." Flutter your lashes and sidle up next to Bruce, rub yourself against all the right places.

Distraction, smokescreen, gah please do not notice why you've been standing here frozen in place.

Bruce's eyes focus on the wall. Next to the shower taps. Too late.

You groan, let your head fall into your hand. Great. Now he's seen it and it's been ages since spiders bothered you. But this one is huge! And hairy! And it has beady eyes--tons of them gah--and all staring at you. Measuring. Deciding where to nibble first. Plus it's right next to the tap. It could leap out and just--get you.

You've read _Spiderman_. You have met mutated folk. You so know what can happen.

This spider is huge and hairy and has a big red spot on it. That has to mean it's dangerous. Has to mean--that it's perfectly fine for Bruce to coo at it, scoop it up in one broad palm. Talk to it. Chastise it lightly for scaring you, pat its abdomen and set it loose again at the far side of the shower room, make sure it scurries back into some crevice that leads to some dark shadowy corner of the Batcave.

You stifle a groan, put on a _I am so not even affected and totally whatever_ face, turn on the shower and stick your head under the steady thrum of water.

Phobias are called that due to the whole irrationality aspect. You figure you're allowed at least one. Bruce has his issues too--but right now, not _even_ going there--so it's not like you're alone in this. Besides. You're mostly over the spider thing. Unless it's huge. With the red spot thing. And could getcha. Because that dude? Was so gonna. You could see it, in all its gazillion shiny eyes.

When Bruce steps behind you, wraps his arms around you, lathers soap and massages and kisses your neck, you feel his smile. But it's affection and something warm like nostalgia, soothes away your embarrassment. Makes you safe, loved, it's okay no matter what--like always--even if it's just from a dumb old spider that wouldn't hurt a fly.


End file.
